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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
THE Beitbridge town council in partnership with the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has started installing solar powered street lights in crime hotspots in the border town. Town Engineer Douglas Martin Siphuma yesterday said the local authority engaged a private contractor who has so far installed 17 solar powered street lights in the town.

“We started installing the lights last week. This is a pilot project and we are looking at expanding it to other areas across the town.

“The company will also repair broken down streetlights especially in areas around the border post, near the former Beitbridge Express Hotel, CBD and some crime hot spots in the low density suburb,” he said.

Siphuma said the new street lights last for over five years with each having about 50,000 hours of lighting.

He said the council was planning to extend the project to traffic and tower lights which are dotted across the town.

Siphuma said the town had budgeted $40,000 for solar powered tower lights at business centres in Garikayi suburbs (Mbedzi Area) and Shule Shule Business centre on the western part of Dulibadzimu suburb.

“This is a cost cutting measure on our part as we will rely more on renewable energy.

“You will note that we have a lot of sunlight in this town even during winter and hence the need to be innovative,” he said.

“The town is developing rapidly and we need to create a safe environment for the residents and visitors by ensuring that there is adequate lighting all the time.

“Incidents of pedestrians and motorists being robbed during the night have become rampant especially in areas where there is no adequate lighting, but with the introduction of street or tower lights on major routes, cases of robberies have been reduced”.